


Two Halves of a Soul

by xo_stardust720



Series: you reflect in this heart of mine... it's like you're my mirror [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Did I mention fluff?, F/M, Firefighters, Fluff, Romance, Soulmates, black & white to color, fluff fluff fluff, romanogers - Freeform, sappy emotional fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-06-03 09:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6605707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_stardust720/pseuds/xo_stardust720
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was strange how quickly his world had changed in a span of a few hours. He’d gone from sleeping peacefully in bed, to fighting a fire, to finding his <i>soulmate</i>.</p>
<p>And he didn't even know her name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A One-Sided Love Story

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [leftennant](http://archiveofourown.org/users/leftennant/pseuds/leftennant) for giving me the idea of Steve and Bucky being firefighters. I was reading her story [Rule Number One](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6545713/chapters/14975599) when this little plot bunny happened. If you guys haven't checked out this story, go do it. It's seriously awesome and you'll be in for a laugh! 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **Soulmate Prompt:**  
>  _Your world is black and white until you see your soulmate. Once you meet your soulmate, you see color._

The first time Steve ever laid eyes on her, she’s unconscious and lying on the floor in the middle of the room surrounded by flames. The apartment building was on fire; what he assumed was _her_ apartment was on fire, and it was spreading faster with every passing second, the heat getting more intense. There was a chance that the building would collapse on them at any time and he had to move, and quickly, if there was any hope of the both of them getting out of there alive. And as dire as the situation was, he has to take a moment.

Because from the moment he laid his eyes on the woman in front of him, his world which had been previously black and white, suddenly turned to color – bright, vivid, and _overwhelming_.

His eyes burned as he stood there, staring at the scene in front of him. Colors of orange, yellow, and red were dancing along the walls as the fire blistered and branded, leaving darken charcoal lumps of wood behind.  It was almost unbelievable that he would discover his _soulmate_ at a time like this, in the middle of a life threatening situation, and she wasn’t even awake for it. And she was _stunning_. Beautiful. Breath-taking. Already Steve was itching to run his hands through her hair, wishing her eyes were open so that he could see what color they were.

There were many theories on the soulmate phenomenon, each one differing from the next. But no matter the different theories, there was always one tried and true factor. You were born color-blind, seeing only black and white, and various shades of gray, until you found your soulmate. The moment you found your soulmate was the moment you saw the world in color. For some, it was instant. One look was all it took. For others, it was a slow burn. You could be friends with someone for years, never seeing color, and then one day it could all change in an instant. No one could pin down how it all worked exactly.

A piece of ceiling tile fell and landed near the woman’s head and Steve snapped to attention. He quickly glanced around and pulled a blanket _(brown,_ he noted _)_ from her couch that was still untouched by the rapidly spreading fire. He knelt by her, leaning down to carefully lift her into his arms. He wrapped the blanket fully around her as he cradled her to his chest and then scoop her into his arms.

He could feel the heat from the flames engulfing him from behind as he made his way down two flights of stairs. His heart was pounding all the way as he hurried, his senses alive with the knowledge that he was currently carrying his soulmate and the need to get her to safety. Another minute, and he finally made it outside, bolting to where the ambulances and paramedics were. Coughing violently, Steve carefully placed the unconscious woman down on a gurney and pulled off his mask.

“I found her passed out on the floor,” Steve gasped, as he continued to cough. "Please help her!"

“We can take it from here, Steve,” Maria Hill, one of the EMTs quickly took over and he reluctantly let the woman go, already feeling incredibly protective of her. He moved out of the way and Maria placed a stethoscope to the woman’s chest, listening for a moment. “She’s still breathing! I need an oxygen mask here!”

He watched as the EMTs worked, his eyes stuck onto the still woman in front of him, unable to look away. It was strange how quickly his world had changed in a span of a few hours. He’d gone from sleeping peacefully in bed, to fighting a fire, to _finding his soulmate_. Under the dim lighting of the street lights, he could see that her hair was red, and her skin covered with grime and soot. There was an oxygen mask strapped to her face and from his vantage point, he could see the little breaths of air puffing up against the plastic. He was beyond worried about her, beyond scared for her, and he didn’t even know her name.

“Steve,” another EMT, Sam Wilson, came up to him and pulled him aside. “Come on, man. We gotta check you out also. We need to make sure you didn’t inhale too much smoke.”

He allowed himself to be pulled away, his eyes still on the red headed woman. Sam worked diligently, and there was a comfortable silence between the two of them as he checked Steve over. Steve watched as Maria and another EMT helped the woman into the back of the ambulance and the doors shut. He turned to Sam. “Are they going to the hospital?”

Sam nodded. “Yeah, the woman you found had a lot of smoke inhalation, and what looks to be a sprain on her left ankle. Our guess is that she was probably trying to escape the fire and tripped somehow. She needs to be put under observation for a couple days at least.” He leaned back and gave Steve a smile. “It looks like you’re gonna be okay. You should be proud, Steve. You saved that woman’s life.”

He managed to give Sam a smile and nodded as the EMT moved on to check on someone else. He glanced behind him, at the apartment building that now had dark, black smoke billowing out into the air. The last of the fire was now dying out, the chaos calming down.

“Steve.”

He turned at the sound of his name and found his best friend walking towards him. He stared at Bucky standing in his fireman’s uniform, noticing new details for the first time now that he could see color. “Did you know your eyes are blue?” he blurted out. "They're like, _really_ blue."

“What?” Bucky looked at him in confusion and then his eyes widened. “Holy shit! Did you meet your soulmate? And don’t say it’s me, because I hate to break it to you, it’ll be a one-sided love story. I still see no color at all.”

“You wish you could be so lucky as to have me as your soulmate,” Steve rolled his eyes. “No, you jerk. There was a woman in that building.”

“The one you brought out?”

“Yeah. I found her unconscious on the floor. As soon as I saw her, everything turned to color.”

Bucky whooped, clapping him on the shoulder. “You found your soulmate! This is great!”

It was starting to sink in. The shock of it all had finally started to subside and now he was beginning to process all of the emotions that were flooding him. The slight fear lingering in the back of his mind and thanking his lucky stars that he’d managed to find her in time. How close he’d come to losing her and not knowing it, scared him beyond belief. He was worried about her, hoping that she wasn’t hurt too badly. And even though he was worried, he was excited too. He couldn’t wait to meet her and introduce himself to her properly. “I need to shower,” he said, slowly. “And then I need to get to the hospital.”

“Steve, it’s the middle of the night.”

“As if I could fall asleep now! Buck, I don’t even know her name! I need to make sure she’s alright. I want to be there when she wakes up.”

Bucky sighed. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

“No,” he objected. “Like you said, it’s the middle of the night. You should go home and sleep.”

“And leave you to deal with this all on your own? No deal. I know you, punk. You’re going to be sitting in the waiting room and drive yourself crazy all night.”

Steve smiled, suddenly glad that Bucky knew him well. He was right. And he was glad to be able to have some support. “Thanks, Buck.”

“I’m with you till the end of the line, pal.” Bucky threw an arm around his shoulders and together they began walking back to where the rest of their team stood. “Can’t believe you met your soulmate! Hey, do you think she has hot friends to hook me up with?”

Steve chuckled. “Let me actually meet her first and then we’ll see.”


	2. Can't Fight This Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left comments and kudos! They make me so excited and happy :) Please keep them coming!
> 
> \--

By the time Steve went home, showered, changed, and made it to the hospital, it was nearing four in the morning. He fretted the entire way, with Bucky trying to keep him calm with idle chatter from the driver’s seat as he drove the both of them there. It was almost impossible to keep up the conversation with his best friend, when his soulmate was currently who knows where in the hospital. Steve just couldn’t sit still, couldn’t focus on anything other than her, and filled to the brim with anticipation and worry. When they’d arrived, he practically bolted from Bucky’s car before his friend barely had the chance to put the vehicle in park and he was running towards the entrance doors like his life depended on it.

There was just one problem.

The woman had no identification on her when she had been admitted to the hospital and therefore was currently listed as ‘Jane Doe’ on her forms. Hospital policy dictated that no persons outside of family were allowed any information on any patient at any given time, if they weren’t given permission. At the moment, they were waiting for the Police Department to come forward with any information they could find and her landlord to be contacted.

Therefore, Steve still had no idea what her name was, where she was from, nor did she currently have any family members at her door to tell him such knowledge

Sensing Steve’s increasing frustration with the nurse, Bucky stepped forward and lightly pushed his friend out of the way. He leaned over the counter and gave her the best charming smile that he could muster. “Listen…” he began, quickly glancing at her name tag and then pulling out his wallet to show her his firefighter’s ID. “Olivia. We’re both firefighters with the New York City Fire Department and we helped put out the fire that happened early this morning. You know the woman that was brought in?” He gestured to Steve. “My friend over here saved her. Pulled her out of a burning building that almost collapsed on them. And you know what’s crazy about this whole thing? It turns out, she’s his soulmate! Sees color and everything. Told me my eyes were blue in a way like it was out of a romance novel or something.”

Olivia glanced over at him from where she sat and bit her lip. She was a relatively young nurse, probably in her early 20s if he had to guess, still young enough to not view the world in a jaded manner like most people who couldn't see color were. Steve began to feel hopeful seeing that his friend was slowly winning her over. Bucky was giving her that ‘ _look at me, I’m so adorable_ ’ smile, the one that always seemed to be so popular with ladies when they were in high school. Never before had Steve appreciated his friend’s flirtatious nature so much.

“Can you at least tell us if she’s going to be okay? You can understand why he’s so worried, can’t you? I mean, the guy just found his _soulmate_. The love of his life. He doesn’t even know her name! _And_ she doesn’t even know she has a soulmate because she was knocked out when he found her. Can you believe that? So far it’s kind of tragic. A one-sided love story, if you will. Can’t blame the guy for being a little high strung, can you? I’m hoping that his new lady love is going to be able to loosen him up a bit. And believe me, I’ve known him my whole life – I’m willing to bet she’s going to be the better half of the duo.”

“Thanks, Buck,” Steve said, dryly. 

Bucky waved him off.

Olivia sighed, swayed by Bucky’s compelling argument, and turned to her computer. She clicked a few key strokes and brought up the information needed. “You didn’t hear this from me, got it?”

“Heard what?” Bucky shrugged, feigning an air of innocence around him. Steve eagerly stepped up to the counter as Olivia read off the information from her screen.

“It looks like she’s got a concussion and a sprained ankle, according to doctor’s notes. She hit her head on something when she fell and she’s currently on oxygen to help clear the smoke inhalation from her lungs. She’s expected to fully recover and will most likely be discharged in a day or two if things keep going well. We’re still waiting on a family member to show up so we can get some paperwork signed.” She smiled at Steve. “She’s on the third floor, room number 26. Don’t stay too long in there, okay?”  

Steve grinned, and his shoulders sagged in relief. “Thank you so much!”

“Yeah, thanks doll,” Bucky winked at Olivia, which caused her to giggle and then they were off to the elevators.

“You know, I used to really hate it when you flirted with girls that weren’t your soulmate. But at this moment in time, all I can really think is ‘ _thank god for Bucky’s penchant ways for charming women_.’ You totally came through, Buck.” Steve told him as the elevator doors closed and began moving.

Bucky flipped him off and rolled his eyes. “You’re welcome.”

The doors opened and they moved along the hallway until they found room twenty-six. He stopped just short of the room, suddenly feeling nervous. There were curtains covering the window of her room so he couldn’t see her but he could feel her somewhat. The soul bond had already started to form and he could feel the tingling in his spine from being a few feet away from her. He looked at Bucky. “Give me a few minutes, okay?”

Bucky nodded, moving to sit on the chairs that were right outside her room. “I’ll be right here.”

The room was quiet when he entered, his attention immediately focusing on the woman laying in the bed in front of him. “Hi beautiful,” he whispered to her as he moved closer, his eyes roaming over her, observing the bandage that covered part of her forehead and the oxygen mask that was currently covering her face. Slowly, he reached out for her hand, rubbing his thumb across the top. Little bolts of electricity were slowly running up his hand to his forearm and he reveled in the feeling. “Is this what it’s like to meet your other half?” he asked her, expecting no response. His eyes took in the red of her hair and the creaminess of her skin and he swallowed, unable to completely believe how he’d ended up with such a gorgeous woman for a soulmate.

It was amazing the difference he felt already even though the soul bond hadn’t yet been completed. Steve had always been content with how his life had turned out. He had grown up in a loving home, had dependable friends that were more like family, and his career was going well. Really, he didn’t have much to complain about. But with everything he had in his life, there was always something missing. And now he finally found it. He found her.

And already she was _so important_.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Wake up soon, okay? I can finally see the world in color and I’m dying to go out and see everything but I won’t do it yet. Not without you. I’d really like to explore all the colors with you.”

Giving her one last glance, he let go of her hand. Already feeling the loss, he turned and headed back outside the room and made his way over to where Bucky sat. He lowered himself into the chair next to his best friend and let out a sigh. “She was sleeping,” he mumbled, leaning back and resting his head against the wall. His eyes took in the bright lights in the ceiling, moving over to the various paintings that were hung on the walls. Colors swirled around him and he found himself unable to look away, wishing he could have someone to share what he was feeling at that moment.

“At least you know that she’s going to be okay. She’ll be up in no time and pretty soon, you guys will probably be making goo-goo eyes at each other.” Bucky paused. “What’s it like?” he asked, quietly.

A minute of silence passed as Steve thought of the best way to describe it. “It’s.. it’s overwhelming. Seeing color is amazing though, Buck. It’s like everything is all bright and new, and there’s just so much to discover.” He sucked in air and let out a loud breath and faced his friend. “But it also feels like something isn’t quite right. Like I can’t go out and completely enjoy it because I’m stuck in limbo, waiting for something. Waiting for her to catch up.”

“Well, you’ve waited your whole life for your soulmate. You can wait a little longer.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, but managed a smile. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“What are friends for?” Bucky yawned. “We’re going to be here awhile, let’s get some shut eye while we still have a few hours.”

“Right.” Steve made himself as comfortable as he could while sitting upright in a chair. Glancing one last time at _her_ door, he shut his eyes and slipped off into a dreamless sleep.

 

\--

 

There was a tingling sensation running up his spine and the feeling of someone watching him. Steve jolted awake, his senses on high alert and immediately scanning the area around him in case there was any danger nearby. Next to him, Bucky was still asleep, snoring away and oblivious to the world around him. It was 8:47am, Steve briefly noted the time from the digital clock that was hanging on the wall, before his eyes landed on the man that was sitting in a chair across him and was currently glaring daggers at him.

“Who are you?” the man growled. “And why have you been sleeping outside my sister’s hospital room all night?”

“Um… uh… I’m Steve,” he stammered. “Steve Rogers.”

His gaze was slightly intimidating but Steve held his ground. The man stared at him, regarding him with a look of suspicion for a moment before leaning forward slightly in his chair. “Rogers, huh?” He folded his hands in front of him, elbows resting on his knees. “You’re the one that pulled her out of the fire?”

Steve stared right back. “Yes. That was me.”

“Well, that’s good and all. But that still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here. You did your job. It's done.”

He shook his head, maintaining eye contact. “No, it's not,” he said, quietly. “I didn't want her to wake up alone. Because of her, I see color.”

The man was visibly surprised. “No shit. I don’t know what I was expecting you to say, but that was certainly not it.” He paused. “You’re her soulmate, huh? Prove it. What color is this chair?”

Steve narrowed his eyes. “It’s navy blue. And the shirt you’re wearing is purple. And those flowers on that table over there are yellow,” he began pointing to various things all over the place. “That girl’s hairclip is orange, that’s brown, this thing over here is pink, and over there – that’s maroon. Is that enough proof for you?”

The man’s lips curled into a smile and suddenly the rough exterior from before melted away, and he chuckled. “Alright, I believe you.” He extended his hand and for the first time, Steve noticed a gold ring adorning the fourth finger of his left hand. “Clint Barton. It’s nice to meet you Steve.”

“So, you’re her brother?” Steve grasped Clint’s hand and shook it firmly.

“Step-brother if you wanna get technical but yeah, we’re family. Thanks for saving her, man.”

He shook his head. “I’m just glad she’s going to be okay. I don’t think I would’ve been able to stand it if something happened to her.”

“Crazy, isn’t it? How important your soulmate becomes the moment you see them?”

“When did you start seeing color?” Steve asked, interested.

“Going on four years now. Just celebrated our anniversary, in fact.”

“Wow.” Steve looked at the other man with fascination. “That’s amazing. I don’t know a lot of people that can see color. It’s really mind-boggling.”

Clint hummed, nodding.

There was a moment of silence, and then –

“What’s her name?” Steve blurted out. Then he blushed and ran a hand through his hair. “I mean… uh… it’s just, I’ve been dying to know.”

Clint began chuckling. “It’s Natasha.”

_Natasha. Her name is Natasha._

“Natasha…” he tested out her name slowly, loving the way it rolled easily off his tongue. Steve smiled. “It’s beautiful.”

Before Clint could respond, there was a sudden loud beeping coming from the pager that was currently looped to his belt. Beside him, Bucky jerked awake, his pager also going off. “Where’s the fire?” Bucky asked, jumping to his feet and looking around in a daze, confusion marring his features. He blinked for a moment. “Oh right. We’re still at the hospital.”

Steve looked at his pager as he stood from his chair. “We’re being dispatched,” he looked at Clint. “Duty calls.”

“Be careful,” Clint nodded.

“Steve! We gotta book it!” Bucky called from where he was already standing by the elevator doors.

“I’ll be back,” Steve gave Clint a look that this was a promise he intended on keeping. “When she wakes up, can you tell her I’ll be back?”

“I’ll be sure to tell her.”

With those words, Steve took off.

The fire that they had to fight that morning was a big one. One of those ‘almost impossible to believe it was happening’ scenarios.  It was an awful fire, but at least the situation hadn’t ended tragically. A pipe had broken in the the boiler room in the basement of a high school, which meant that a gas leak had somehow caused an explosion to happen, causing the chaos to last most of the day and well into the night. Only a few students and a couple teachers had been badly injured but no deaths had occurred. It was an ideal situation, considering the circumstances. The fire had been extremely hard to contain and in the aftermath, a day and a half passed before he could make it back to the hospital.

Steve felt his heart stop, standing in the doorway as he stared into the room. The curtains were drawn back, the bed was neatly made, and the machines that had been surrounding the bed were put away. A deafening sound filled his ears and he could feel his heartbeat pounding with despair, unable to stop the panicked feeling that was spreading through his body.  

The room was empty.

And she was gone.


	3. Sometimes Fairy Tales Come True

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm still recovering from seeing Civil War. I thought it was great with the exception of a few minor issues. Gah, there's still too much feelings for me to sort through! If anyone wants to discuss the movie, feel free to drop me a line :) 
> 
> Any comments, kudos, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated for this story. They only help me get better!
> 
>  
> 
> \--

All her life, Natasha Romanoff had dreamed of seeing color.

When she was a little girl, she often daydreamed that her soulmate would come riding in on a white horse, ready to save her from the clutches of evil. Their eyes would connect and their worlds would turn to color before their lips would meet in a sweet kiss. It was the kind of perfect fairy tale story that all little girls loved and wish would come true.

 _A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks,_ her mother once described. _It’s the epitome of love and partnership, Natasha. Your soulmate will make you feel entirely whole, healed, and intact. You will feel safe with this person, always._

 _How will you know when you meet your soulmate, mama?_ She remembered asking, enraptured by everything her mother was telling her.

_Oh my precious, girl. You will know when you meet your soulmate, because you will see wonderful, beautiful colors! It will be like nothing else, I promise you. When you see them for the first time, the world will no longer be black, white or gray. And you will be so very, very happy._

Her mother often told her bedtime stories involving soulmates and a world where colors swirled together in perfect patterns and filled with beauty. Natasha _loved_ the stories her mother told, _longed_ to see the world in it’s coloration, impatient for the day when she would get to meet her other half. She couldn’t wait to fall in love.

But things weren’t always what they seemed.

Unfortunately, life was not all roses and butterflies that her mother painted it as. When Natasha was seven years old, her father walked out on her and her mother – shattering the illusion that her parents had been in love and breaking their little family apart. As it turned out, her parents weren’t soulmates. Rather, they were two people who were attracted to one another and decided to settle down and get married, despite the fact that they both couldn’t see color with one another. It was an act of desperation for two lonely souls, both of whom had gotten tired of waiting. _She had wanted a family, and she couldn't stand feeling so lonely_ , her mother explained. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t see color – she’d wanted children and made the choice that she didn’t want to wait around for her soulmate. _Lots of people do this, Natasha. Most people don’t get to meet their soulmate in their lifetime. What other choice did I have?_ Her father couldn’t handle it anymore and walked out, admitting out loud that he’d made a mistake and that while he “loved” them, he didn’t love them enough to stay with them. It was the first time Natasha had ever experienced heartbreak, and she saw the damage that was done when two people who weren’t soulmates tried to be together.

When Natasha was thirteen years old, her mother remarried. And again, her mother married a man that wasn’t her soulmate. _Being with someone and not seeing color, is better than being alone and still unable to see color,_ her mother rationalized. Her new step-father was a nice enough man and Natasha became extremely close to her step-brother – so close in fact, that Natasha really did consider him her true brother in every sense of the word. It wasn’t a bad life that her mother had built for them, and if her mother didn’t want to be alone, well, Natasha would just have to go along with it.

No relationship was perfect, and as Natasha grew older, she could see that while her mother was content with her life, she wasn’t truly _happy_. It wasn’t what she had imagined love would be like as a little girl, and somehow, she just couldn’t let go of that dream. And thus, Natasha swore to herself, that she wouldn’t make the same mistake that her mother did. No matter how lonely she got, she wouldn’t ever settle down with someone who couldn’t give her a world filled with color and risk bringing a child into the world based on lies and false hope. Her heart hardened, and Natasha moved on, no longer dreaming about meeting her soulmate and instead, focused on a future where she could make herself as happy as she could be until her soulmate could find her. She never voiced it out loud, but she still held out hope everyday that she would see color.

_I’m leaving it up to fate. If I’m meant to meet my soulmate in this lifetime, then it’ll happen when I least expect it._

_I just have to have faith that everything will work out._

\--

_Son of a bitch, why is everything hurting?_

Natasha groaned as she slowly woke up to the sound of machines beeping steadily by her ear. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, taking in the unfamiliar bed that she was lying on and the strange white walls with unknown paintings. Her first instinct was to panic but tried to keep calm, knowing that overreacting wouldn’t get her anywhere. She was definitely not in her own bed. And this was most definitely not her apartment. In fact, the only thing that was actually familiar to her was that there was no color whatsoever. She still saw everything in black, white or gray.

_Oh right, there was a fire at my apartment._

_Wow, I’m lucky to be alive._

“Well, look who decided to join the land of the living.”

She glanced over and found Clint smiling at her, looking visibly relieved that she was wide awake. Her brother looked the same as ever, dressed in a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt. He stood up from where he sat in the corner and moved over to stand next to her bed. He leaned over to look at her.

“You sure gave us quite a scare, Nat. Do you remember what happened?”

Natasha shot him a look and rolled her eyes, unable to verbally respond because of the oxygen mask that was currently covering her face. The annoyed look must’ve conveyed her message though, because Clint just chuckled.

“I guess you do. At least your memory still seems to be intact after hitting your head. You sure you know who you are?”

As tired as she was, she still managed to lift her hand and flip her brother off. Clint let out another laugh.

There was a knock and they both turned towards the doorway to see a blonde woman wearing a white lab coat walk through. The blonde smiled when she saw that Natasha was awake. “Ah, excellent! I’m so glad to see you’re awake Miss Romanoff. I’m Dr. Sharon Carter… I’m just here to do a check up on you.” The minute the blonde doctor removed the oxygen mask from her face, Natasha began coughing nonstop. “Don’t worry, Natasha. This is a completely normal reaction,” Sharon assured her as she placed a stethoscope against Natasha’s chest to listen to her lungs. “You’ll be coughing for a few days because of smoke inhalation, but when we looked at your x-rays earlier, all signs showed that it’ll clear up in no time. You have to take it easy for a few days because of your concussion and your ankle.”

Natasha groaned, coughing. “When can I go back to work?”

“I would suggest staying off your feet for at least two weeks to let the sprain heal up. Absolutely no dancing, but light walks should be okay,” Sharon leaned back and wrapped her stethoscope around her neck. The blonde smiled. “I’m going to discharge you today. Come back for a check up in two weeks and we’ll proceed from there.”

“Thanks Doc,” Clint replied as the blonde left the room. He looked over at his sister, who was currently pouting as she leaned back into her pillows. “Relax,” he gave her an amused glance. “So you get two weeks off. Think of it as a vacation!”

“It’s two weeks, Clint!”

“I know the dance studio is your life, but you’re just going to have to get someone to cover for you. They’ll be alright without you for a couple of weeks,” Clint paused, but then grinned. “Besides, you might want to take advantage of the time off.”

Natasha coughed and then looked at her brother suspiciously. “Why?” 

Clint just stared at her, a shit-eating grin on his face, his arms folded across his chest.

“What?” Natasha glared. “ _What_ , Clint? What is it you know, that I don’t?”   

“I know who your soulmate is.”

Natasha froze. A white-hot feeling filled her as her shock at hearing those words spread throughout her body. Her heart began pounding and her breath caught. Whatever she thought that Clint was going to say, this was definitely _not_ it. “What?” she was breathless. She stared at her brother, hardly daring to blink, afraid that somehow she had misheard things. She gathered herself. “Explain!” she demanded.

“The firefighter who pulled you out of the fire… the one who saved you,” Clint smiled. “He’s your soulmate. He said he saw color when he rescued you.”

“Are you sure?” She sucked in a breath. “Did you talk to him? He’s really _my soulmate_?”

He nodded. “He slept outside your hospital room all night after you were brought in because no one knew who you were and he didn’t want you to wake up alone. He named every color correctly when I asked him to prove it. And Tasha, the only reason he left the hospital was because his job needed him. There’s some kind of explosion at a high school downtown. He really didn’t want to leave the hospital until I promised to tell you that he was going to come back. I think he’s for real, I really do.”

She let out a breath, her heart pounding. “Wow,” she whispered, leaning further into her pillows. “My soulmate…” Suddenly, Natasha sat up straight, near instant panic filling her. “Clint! The doctor said I was being discharged today! What if he comes back when I’m already gone?! Did he leave a way for me to contact him?”

“Ah, well… no,” her brother paused. “He kinda had to rush outta here. But it can’t be too hard to find him, right? All we have to do is call the fire department and look for him. His name is Steve Rogers.”

“Steve Rogers,” Natasha murmured softly to herself, nodding. “Okay.” And then she grinned, excitement taking over her features.

 

_Don’t you worry, Steve Rogers._

 

_I won’t give up until I find you._

\--

Two days passed before she was able to track down the information that Steve Rogers worked at Firehouse Station No. 38, located about thirty minutes from where Natasha was currently staying with Clint and his family. While it had been a stressful two days, Natasha thrived in the predicament that she unexpectedly found herself in.

Clint had been right about taking the needed time off from work – she was completely full of energy, determined to track down the man that had saved her life and to also deal with everything else in between. She spent countless hours on the phone with her insurance company, determining the damage the fire had done to her apartment. As it turned out, the fire had started because of some faulty wiring that her landlord hadn’t bothered getting fixed when he should have and as a result, almost her entire building was burned down.  And so, she had to start looking for a new place to live… had to buy new clothes… shop for new furniture… The list of things that she had to do kept piling up and through it all, there was only one thing on Natasha’s mind.

“Are you sure this dress looks good?” Natasha stared at herself in the full-length mirror in front of her. The outfit she was wearing hugged her curves perfectly but she couldn’t help wondering if her dress complimented her. It was at times like these that she hated seeing the world in black and white.

“You look lovely, Tasha,” Her sister-in-law’s reflection appeared next to her in the mirror, smiling at her. Laura Barton reached out and smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle, and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Your hair is this beautiful shade of red and the deep purple color of your dress helps it to stand out. You’ll knock your soulmate off his feet, I promise you.”

“I only have one chance to make a good first impression,” Natasha took a deep breath to try and calm the anxiety she was feeling. “Considering what I looked like when I left the hospital, I need to erase whatever image he has of me in his mind. I can’t believe he saw me covered in dirt and grime. Imagine what that must’ve looked like in color.”

Clint snorted from where he sat on the couch. “The guy’s your soulmate. You never have to care about what you look like ever again, and he’ll still think you’re beautiful.” Natasha glared at him from where she stood and Clint threw his hands up in the air in a ‘I give up’ gesture. “Must be a girl thing,” he muttered to himself.

Natasha turned back to her reflection. “Guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

The thirty-minute drive that it took to get from Clint’s place to Firehouse Station No. 38 went by to fast for Natasha’s liking. Parking her vehicle in the visitor’s parking lot, she took several deep breaths to try and calm herself down. She’d never been so nervous in her entire life! Reaching for the basket that held banana chocolate chip muffins (her best recipe) that she’d spent most of the morning baking, she exited her car and steeled her resolve. She was Natasha Romanoff, and she’d spent her whole life dreaming of seeing color and meeting her soulmate. And he’d found her. Now, it was her turn to find him. Gripping the basket tightly, she pulled open the doors to the firehouse. Her sandals clicked against the stone floor, echoing loudly with every step she took.

“Can I help you?”

She turned to see a man dressed in his fireman’s uniform, walking towards her. She concluded that this man wasn’t Steve Rogers since she still only saw black and white. Pushing her disappointment aside, she smiled at the man. “Um, yes. I’m looking for Steve Rogers, is he here?”

The man’s eyes widened. “Holy shit. You’re _her_ , aren’t you? Oh man, this is amazing! You have no idea how much Steve’s been kicking himself for not leaving his number or some way for you to get in touch with him.” He paused, looking at her more closely. “You _are_ Natasha, right?”

She bit the corner of her lip and nodded. “Yeah, I am.”

“Wow, he sure is a lucky guy.” The man grinned and held out his hand. She shook it. “I’m Bucky. Come on, Steve’s in his room. I’ll take you to him.”

She followed Bucky up a short flight of stairs and then down a hallway. The second her eyes landed on him, Natasha stumbled slightly, her hand reaching out to rest against the doorway to steady herself. Color immediately filled her vision, overwhelming her with so many emotions that she hadn’t been prepared to handle. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest and she couldn’t help but let out a soft giggle, so much joy racing through her as she stared at the man in front of her.

Steve was sitting at the edge of his bed, his head in his hands, slumped over in a dejected manner. He straightened the moment he heard her laugh though, and his head snapped up. She could tell he was frozen in shock, and she enjoyed his slack-jawed expression at the sight of her as their gazes connected. Blue eyes met green, and she took a step forward, unable to stop the smile that spread across her lips.

This was it.

_This was it._

This was what she’d been waiting for her whole life. It was a dream come true.

And it was incredibly life changing, her world shifting in an instant.

_I can’t imagine my life without him anymore._

Natasha took a deep breath, and grinned. “Hi.”


	4. And it All Ends Happily

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it. I had tons of fun working on this story! Thanks to everyone who left kudos and lovely comments. 
> 
> On a side note, I met Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan this past weekend at Philadelphia Comic Con and it was AMAZING! They were all so sweet and I had a fantastic time! Chris Evans is just as dreamy and awesome in person as one would think :)

His eyes roamed over her as she stood in his doorway, unable to quite believe that she was actually standing there in front of him. It was as if time had slowed down, the noises all around him were muted and all he could focus on was her. She was a vision standing there dressed a deep purple sundress and with her red hair flowing loosely around her shoulders in soft ringlets that immediately made his fingers twitch, the desire to see if her hair felt as soft as it looked already forming.

She took a step forward and beamed at him. “Hi,” she said.

His heart leapt to his throat at hearing her voice. It was low and alluring. Sexy. There was a slight rasp to it that sent a bolt of desire racing through him down to his very core. Steve swallowed as his eyes drank her in. Her hair was incredibly red, and it made her jade eyes stand out all the more as she stared at him. She was beautiful, breath-taking. _Stunning._

_And she belonged with him._

It was an amazing feeling.

She was still staring at him, waiting for him to respond. “H-hi,” Steve scrambled to his feet and crossing over to her in an instant. He stood in front of her, already wanting to pull her into his arms but refrained, unsure of what he should do. His emotions were running high. One minute he was depressed beyond belief at letting his soulmate slip through his fingers and not leaving a way for her to contact him and the next, she was in front of him and now he was so incredibly _happy_ that it was all overwhelming. He ran a hand through his hair nervously and licked his lips. “Hi,” he repeated. He let out a breath and suddenly he was grinning, his smile a mile wide. “You found me.”

She laughed and he fell in love with the sound, letting himself revel in her presence. “I think you found me first,” she teased.

Excitement raced through him. Now he was finally able to introduce himself to her properly. “I’m Steve. Steve Rogers.”

“Natasha Romanoff.”

_Romanoff. So that’s her last name._ “I went back to the hospital, I really did,” he told her. “I’m sorry I never left my number with your brother. I even went to the police to try and find you but they said it was against privacy laws to give out any information.”

“It’s okay.” She nodded, believing him. “I was discharged about an hour after I woke up. I called thirty-seven firehouses in the past two days before I was able to find a Steve Rogers that worked for Firehouse Station No. 38.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes. “It all worked out in the end.” She held out the basket that she’d been holding. “I made these for you, they’re banana chocolate chip muffins,” she let out a nervous breath. “Thank you for saving me.”

The baked goods inside smelled heavenly as he took the basket from her and placed it on his desk next to where they were standing. He shook his head, waving off her thanks. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to make these. I was just doing my job. I would do that for anybody.” He took a step closer to her and his eyes searched her face. “I’m just glad it brought me to you. Are you alright?”

Natasha nodded. “No lasting damage. I just have to take it easy and be careful with my ankle for the next couple of weeks.” She took another step closer to him, so that she was practically in his space. She tilted her head. “Your eyes are blue,” she said, wonderment filling her tone.

Every instinct within him was telling him to pull Natasha into his arms, and he surrendered to it. He moved slowly so that she was aware of his intentions but she didn’t seem to mind as he slowly wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close to him. She practically melted into his embrace, her head immediately resting on his chest and she tilted to look up at him. She was tiny; his tall frame towered over her as he brought his other hand up and cupped her face, his thumb slowly rubbing over the curve of her left cheek. Natasha sighed happily, her arms wrapping around his own waist and she snuggled into his arms more securely. “And yours are green,” he told her, smiling at her tenderly. 

_I think it’s my new favorite color._

She smelled like jasmine and he breathed in deep as they stood there for a few minutes, locked in an embrace that felt so right to the both of them. The soul bond was slowly working its magic, linking them together. The feeling was tenacious, a profound and lingering emotion that no words could encompass. Everything felt like it was being completed. They were united, somehow brought together by the circumstances of fate. _It was incredible and wonderful and amazing._

She pulled away from him slightly and smiled. “Do you want to take a walk?” she asked, eager to get out and explore the world now that she could see color, intent on having every new experience to be shared with him. “We could go to the park and walk along the river.”

Steve was about to agree but then his face fell as realization hit. “I’m on call,” he explained apologetically, shaking his head. “I can’t leave in case there’s a fire.”

A cough sounded from the doorway, and both Natasha and Steve turned to see Bucky grinning at them from where he stood leaning against the door frame. “Forgot I was here, huh?” he asked, watching the two of them with an amused glance. They blushed, having been so caught up in one another that they hadn’t remembered they had an audience. “Go,” Bucky told them. “It’s not everyday you get to meet your soulmate. We can cover you for one day.”

Minutes later, Steve and Natasha exited the doors of the station, their hands intertwined. They stood at the entrance doors, looking out past the parking lot and towards the park across the street. The sun was shining, a soft breeze blowing in the wind. Steve looked over at Natasha, unable to stop himself from grinning. She returned his gaze, her expression happy, excited, and hopeful.

They were together and the possibilities for their future were endless.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think. Comments and kudos are definitely appreciated! :)


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